* Notice - The Marines assigned to AEF (American Expeditionary Forces ) in France during WW1 used Army "Dog Tags" of shape "A" and "B". In Marine Corps Manual of 1921 is stated : .... has authorized the use of the Marine Corps identification tag until the exhaustion of present supply, after which the tag in the Navy regulations ( tag of "C" shape ) will be used. In the inter war period and at the beginning of the WW2 the dog tags were not standard issue. In Marine Corps manual of 1940 is stated " .... ID tags will be issued "in the time of war or other national emergency ....".

Stamped information : Officer’s Dog Tag

Initials and Surname

Rank and date of appointment in numerals denoting month, day and year (e.g. 1.5.16.)

Company ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 95 CO.

Regiment or Corps ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 6 REG.

USMC

Stamped information : Enlisted Dog Tag

Initials and Surname

Date of enlistment in numerals denoting month, day and year - e.g. 7. 1. 18.

* Notice - Monel metal is corrosion-resistant alloy of nickel and copper, with small content of iron and manganese

** Notice - The early issue Dog Tag had on side one etched hand-written personal data and on side two etchedright index print.

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit, see picture bellow which shows very different forms of "Dog Tag" marking ( from 1941 to 1945 ) I had possibility to survey, "L. DIAMONDS" dog tag is example of etched marking and the data are marked in USN manner ( see U.S.M.C. position on tag ).

Line 1 : Surname

Line 2 : First Name & Initials ( or just Initials )

Line 3 :

Officer's rank or

Man's Service number - 12345, 123456 or 1234567 and three spaces to the right Religion preferredin prefixes only : C - for CATHOLIC, H - for HEBREW and P - for PROTESTANT

* Notice - during WW2 the standard issue "Dog Tags" used by USMC were tags of "C" and "D" shape, the wider use of U.S. ARMY M-1940 "Dog Tag" by Marines started after the end of WW2. On most examples of M-1940 USMC and USN "Dog tags" I had possibility to survey, there is not stamped date of Tetanus shot application, which was stamped to standard tags of "C" and "D" shape during WW2 and thus these tags should be post or very late WW2 issue. After war M-1940 tag continuously replaced the tags of "C" and "D" shape.

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit

Line 1 : Surname

Line 2 : First Name & Initials ( or just Initials )

Line 3 :

Man's Service number - 12345, 123456 or 1234567

Blood Type - A, B, AB or O

the prefix "BT - " (Blood Type) was also used (see picture bellow)

Line 4 : USMC or USMCR

Line 5 : Religion preferred

in prefixes only : C - for CATHOLIC, H - for HEBREW and P - for PROTESTANT or

in whole words : CATHOLIC, HEBREW, PROTESTANT

Examples of stamped information:

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - shape "F" (1959 - present)

Number of Dog Tags – 2

Dog Tag chain – Stainless steel chain - beaded style

Dog Tag marking – stamped

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit